This disclosure relates alignment systems for movable wall systems operable to partition a large environment, such as rooms, into a plurality of smaller environments. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a movable wall panel system having a plurality of panels moveable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration and an alignment system which biases the plurality of panels such that a panel face of a first movable wall panel of the plurality of movable wall panels is substantially parallel to a panel face of a second movable wall panel of the plurality of movable wall panels.
Movable wall panel systems find useful applications in a variety of venues such as classrooms, offices, convention facilities, hospitals or the like. In these venues, the panels of the moveable wall panel system are often moved along overhead tracks from which the panels are suspended. The partitions are movable along the tracks to separate or compartmentalize larger rooms or areas into smaller rooms or areas. The operable partitions are typically connected to trolleys that roll within the overhead track. The track is suspended from a support structure which is typically located above the ceiling of a room or area in which the operable partitions are installed.
Operable partitions are typically available in single panel, paired panel, and continuously hinged arrangements. Continuously hinged panels are connected together in a train so that the panels extend as one complete unit. A drive system is connected to a trolley of a lead panel to move the train of panels.
An anti-float system is known to assist in biasing the movable wall panels of a continuously hinged panel system into one or both of a retracted or stacked configuration and an extended configuration. An exemplary anti-float system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,671. Another conventional anti-float system is shown in FIGS. 1-4. Referring to FIG. 1, a first movable wall panel 10 is shown. Referring to FIG. 3, a second movable wall panel 12 is shown. Wall panels 10, 12 are connected together through a hinge 14. Referring to FIG. 2, wall panel 10 includes a front panel face 20 and a rear panel face 22. An upper extent of front panel face 20 is noted by reference number 24. A plurality of seals 26 extend above the upper portion of movable wall panel 10 as shown in FIG. 2. In a similar fashion, movable wall panel 12 includes a front face 30 and a rear face 32. An upper vertical extent of front face 30 is indicated by reference number 34. Located above an upper extent of movable wall panel 12 are a plurality of seals 36.
In between seals 26 of movable wall panel 10 and seals 36 of movable wall panel 12, an anti-float system 50 is coupled to a top side of movable wall panels 10 and 12, respectively. Movable wall panel 10 supports a first bracket 52 and a second bracket 54. Each of first bracket 52 and second bracket 54 include a plurality of rollers 56 which guide respective wire cables 58. The wire cables 58 have a first loop 60 which is coupled to a spring 62 and a second loop 64 which are coupled to an anchor 66 on adjacent panels, such as movable wall panel 12. Wire 58 passes over roller 56 mounted on a bracket 70 supported by the second movable wall panel 12. When movable wall panels 10 and 12 are angled relative to each other about hinge 14, spring 62 is stretched. As movable wall panels 10, 12 approach being parallel to each other such that panel face 22 is generally co-planar with panel face 30, spring 62 pulls on cable 58 to bias wall panels 10, 12 into a generally co-planar relationship. In a similar fashion, as wall panels 10, 12 move toward a stacked configuration, the placement of rollers 56 may be chosen such that spring 62 will bias panels 10,12 to move toward a generally parallel configuration wherein panels 10, 12 are stacked.
The placement of anti-float system 50 between seals 26 on movable wall panel 10 and between seals 36 on movable wall panel 12 makes installation and maintenance of anti-float system 50 difficult. In order to install or service an anti-float system 50, an operator must be positioned to access the region between seals 26 on movable wall panel 10 and between seals 36 on movable wall panel 12 which are near the overhead track.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a movable wall panel system for suspension from an overhead track in an environment is provided. The movable wall panel system comprising a first movable wall panel including a first end and a second end, spaced-apart from the first end, a panel face extending between the first end and the second end, a top portion which is adapted to be operatively coupled to the overhead track, and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The panel face of the first movable wall panel having a vertical extent extending from a bottom side of the panel face of the first movable wall panel to a top side of the panel face of the first movable wall panel. The movable wall panel system further comprising a second movable wall panel rotatably coupled to the first moveable wall panel, the second moveable wall panel including a first end and a second end, spaced-apart from the first end, a panel face of the second movable wall panel extending between the first end and the second end, a top portion which is adapted to be operatively coupled to the overhead track, and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The panel face of the second movable wall panel having a vertical extent extending from a bottom side of the panel face of the second movable wall panel to a top side of the panel face of the second movable wall panel. The movable wall panel system further comprising at least one hinge coupled to the first movable wall panel proximate the second end of the first movable wall panel and coupled to the second movable wall panel proximate the first end of the second movable wall plane. The first movable wall panel being rotatably coupled to the second movable wall panel through the at least one hinge. The movable wall panel system further comprising a biasing system operatively coupled to the first moveable wall panel and operatively coupled to the second moveable wall panel independent of the at least one hinge. The biasing system biasing the second moveable wall panel to be positioned relative to the first movable wall panel such that the panel face of the first moveable wall panel is substantially parallel to the panel face of the second moveable wall panel. The biasing system being positioned above the bottom side of the panel face and below the top side of the panel face.
In an example thereof, the biasing system includes a primary biasing sub-assembly positioned within an interior of the first movable wall panel and a secondary biasing sub-assembly positioned within an interior of the second movable wall panel, the secondary biasing sub-assembly being connected to the primary biasing sub-assembly through a link extending between the second end of the first movable wall panel and the first end of the second movable wall panel. In a variation thereof, the link extends through an opening in the second end of the first movable wall panel and through an opening in the first end of the second movable wall panel. In a further variation thereof, the secondary biasing sub-assembly of the biasing system is connected to the primary biasing sub-assembly of the biasing system through the link throughout a movement of the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel from a first arrangement wherein the panel face of the first movable wall panel and the panel face of the second movable wall panel are generally parallel and overlapping and a second arrangement wherein the panel face of the first movable wall panel and the panel face of the second movable wall panel are generally parallel and non-overlapping. In yet a further variation thereof, the secondary biasing sub-assembly includes an anchor, the link being coupled to the second movable wall panel through the anchor. In still a further variation thereof, the primary biasing sub-assembly includes a biasing member positioned within a housing, the link being coupled to the first movable wall panel through the biasing member. In still another variation thereof, the biasing member has a first end held relative to the first movable wall panel and a second end movable relative to the first movable wall panel and connected to the link, the biasing member being positionable in a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state the biasing member has a first level of stored potential energy and in the second state the biasing member has a second level of potential energy, the second level of stored potential energy being less than the first level of potential energy. In another variation thereof, the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positionable in a third arrangement wherein the panel face of the first movable wall panel and the panel face of the second movable wall panel are angled relative to each other in the range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, the biasing member being in the first state when the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positioned in the third arrangement and in the second state when the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positionable in the second arrangement. In still another variation thereof, the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positionable in a third arrangement wherein the panel face of the first movable wall panel and the panel face of the second movable wall panel are angled relative to each other in the range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees, the biasing member being in the first state when the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positioned in the third arrangement and in the second state when the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel are positionable in the first arrangement. In yet a further variation thereof, the primary biasing assembly further includes a lock which cooperates with the biasing member to hold the biasing member the first state. In a further variation, the biasing member is a gas cylinder. In still yet another variation, the primary biasing assembly further includes a lock which cooperates with the gas cylinder to hold the gas cylinder in the first state.
In another example thereof, the first moveable wall panel includes a top seal assembly which provides an acoustic seal between the first movable wall panel and a ceiling of the environment, the biasing system being positioned lower than the top seal assembly. In a variation thereof, the top seal assembly is movable between a first position spaced apart from the ceiling and a second position contacting the ceiling.
In yet another example thereof, the first moveable wall panel includes a bottom seal assembly which provides an acoustic seal between the first movable wall panel and a floor of the environment, the biasing system being positioned higher than the bottom seal assembly. In a variation thereof, the bottom seal assembly is movable between a first position spaced apart from the floor and a second position contacting the floor.
In still another example thereof, the link is a flexible connector. In a variation thereof, the flexible connector includes a plurality of strands. In a further variation thereof, the flexible connector comprises at least one of a metal, linen, hemp, silk, sinew, a polymer, or combinations thereof. In another variation thereof, the flexible connector comprises at least 20 strands of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of installing an anti-float system between two movable wall panels rotatably coupled together through at least one hinge is provided. The method comprising the steps of: extending a flexible connector from a first portion of the anti-float system positioned within an interior of a first movable wall panel of the two movable wall panels to a second portion of the anti-float system positioned within an interior of a second movable wall panel of the two movable wall panels, the flexible connector passing through an opening in an end face of the first movable wall panel and an opening of an end face of the second moveable wall panel; and securing the flexible connector to an anchor of the second portion of the anti-float assembly.
In one example thereof, the method further comprises the step of increasing the tension on the flexible connector. In a variation thereof, the step of increasing the tension on the flexible connector includes the step of releasing a lock holding a biasing member in a first state to permit the biasing member to move to a second state, the biasing member being operatively coupled to the flexible connector. In another variation thereof, the biasing member is positioned within a housing having a first end and a second end, the biasing member having a first end and a second end, when the biasing member is in the first state the second end of the biasing member is spaced apart from the first end of the housing by a first amount and when the biasing member is in the second state the second end of the biasing member is spaced apart from the first end of the housing by a second amount, the second amount being greater than the first amount.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating a movable wall system including a first movable wall panel and a second moveable wall panel rotatably coupled together through at least one hinge and including a biasing system which biases the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel into an arrangement wherein a panel face of the first movable wall panel and a panel face of the second moveable wall panel are generally parallel is provided. The method comprising the steps of extending a flexible connector from an interior of the first movable wall panel as one of the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel is rotated relative to the other of the first movable wall panel and the second movable wall panel about the at least one hinge, the flexible connector passing through an opening in an end face of the first movable wall panel and an opening of an end face of the second moveable wall panel; and compressing a biasing member of the biasing system due to the extending of the flexible connector.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present disclosure. The exemplification set out herein illustrates exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, in various forms, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.